Toward this younger male cousin, Miss Jun did not have any feelings. All she recalled about him was that he was a cripple. She had not seen him since she had come to the Fang Family.
This was the only grandson of Old Lady Fang, the only male successor of the Fang bloodline. He had been healthy when he was born but had caught an illness during childhood. The doctors had prognosed that he would not live past fifteen.
Miss Jun looked at Young Master Fang. This child was very naughty. How did he climb up the faux mountain.
When he saw Miss Jun sizing him up, Young Master Fang's calm face broke into a smile.
"Miss Jun actually sees me," he said with a husky voice. "Third Tao, go tell the kitchens that we will have an extra meal this afternoon."
Behind him, a young servant boy heard his words and, after carefully looking at Miss Jun, timidly passed the order to other servants.
Miss Jun did not say anything, though, the servant girl next to her stuck up her nose.
"How unfortunate that we met with this short-lived ghost," she said with her lips curling up, not at all covering her derision. She reached out a hand to Miss Jun. "Young Miss, let's leave quickly."
The words 'short-lived ghost' clearly were heard by this boy, but he acted as if he hadn't, continuing to smile.
But Miss Jun was able to catch a hint of a familiar aura in his eyes.
It was like when she had found out the truth and was preparing herself to kill that person. She had seen that expression on her face in the mirror.
Anger, and unwillingness. Fire raging in the heart. Wishing that you could just set everything on fire.
But also doing one's utmost to suppress it.
At the time, she didn't hide her intentions, so she was seen right through, and her hatred went unavenged when she was killed by a stray knife.
For such a young boy to be exhibiting this kind of embittered cynicism was pretty good.
"What is your name?" asked Miss Jun.
Young Master Fang's smile broadened.
"It truly is an honor for Young Miss Jun to ask for my name," he said. "Third Tao, ask the kitchens to also add a pot of wine."
From his lofty position, he saw that Miss Jun was still calm, like she had not heard his ridicule.
Or perhaps, he had heard wrongly that this Miss Jun was a brainless idiot.
His interest waned somewhat.
What could he talk about with this woman. Or perhaps it was because just now he saw the expression on the woman's face.
That calm and collected expression like she had everything under control. It appearing on this kind of woman's face really made people unable to help but say a few words in mockery.
"A dead person needs a name?" he asked calmly. Without interest, he leaned over to the servant boy. "Let's go."
The young servant boy quickly took off the blanket covering him and put him on his back while another servant boy rushed forward to take the wheelchair.
Liu'er's mouth curled. Miss Jun stood there without moving.
"Of course a dead person needs a name," she said. "When some people die, they still remain in many others' hearts. The ones who are living do not necessarily need a name, because some of them are already the same as the dead."
Before, when she was alive, there wasn't anyone who cared about her. Right now, she had died and been brought back, so she would definitely leave her name in those people's hearts, and become their nightmare.
With his hands on the servant boy's shoulders, Young Master Fang paused slightly. That girl's voice was neither fast nor slow as she continued to speak.
"The length of a person's life does not matter. Fireworks are short-lived but dazzling. Dead trees last for a long time, but are rotten."
This straw-brained woman could actually say such things.
Young Master Fang subconsciously turned his head.
He couldn't say she had straw for brains. In any case, she was a daughter of a scholarly family. She should have read enough books to put on such a facade.
Miss Jun looked at him.
"The living dead people do not have names. So from now on, do not say such things about yourself, Little Cousin," she said lightly.
Young Master Fang could not help but smile.
Little Cousin? Such a moniker was indeed rare, was this mockery?
"What Elder Cousin said is right," said Young Master Fang with a smile. "It was me who spoke wrongly. I still need my name. However, Elder Cousin, you do not need a name."
"What nonsense are you talking?" Liu'er glared at him. "Why doesn't my family's young miss not need a name?"
"Because I will die, and your family's young miss won't," said Young Master Fang seriously.
Liu'er became more confused by this.
"Does your brain have a hole?" she asked. "You are dying but need a name, and my family's young miss is alive but doesn't?"
No wonder this cripple never came out to see people. Not only was he a cripple, but he was also a lunatic.
This Fang Family was too horrible.
Young Master Fang braced himself on the young servant boy's shoulders, forcing himself to support his upper body.
"This is because your family's young miss will live for a long time," he said in deadly earnest. "I will die, but until then, Grandmother and Mother are there to support the family business for me, letting me reap the benefits and squander money recklessly. However, Grandmother and Mother are old. They will not outlive your family's young miss. When they die, the Fang Family's large tree trunk will… break."
He made a sound and spread out his arms to make a toppling gesture.
"..when the main tree falls, you have nowhere to shade yourself. Elder Cousin, you are a beautiful girl. But you have lost your marriage, started a feud with the Ning Family, and have lost your protection. You will not be able to pass your days well…" He looked at Miss Jun and shook his head, his face full of pity and sorrow. "Elder Cousin, I don't know how wretched the days of someone who has lost the protection of their family will be."
Miss Jun smiled.
"Younger Cousin, you are talking about yourself," she said.
Liu'er's lips twisted.
"What are you saying. Our young miss does not need your Fang Family's protection. Rather, you're the ones dragging down Young Miss," she said with a snort.
Young Master Fang broke out into laughter.
Yes, how could he forget? The master and servant with high self-esteem scoffed at the Fang Family. They believed that they came from the heavens. For him to talk such things with them was laughable.
It was probably because he hadn't spoken this much with another person in so long that he would even talk so much rubbish with this woman.
What was even more laughable was that he had been talking nonsense, but he had spoken of the true grief in his heart.
A life that had not started was already ending. For the last few years, he had believed that he had already accepted it and let go, but in the end, he could not.
Did their Fang Family truly have a cursed fate? Will their Fang Family's wealth be taken by the other families? Just because their great-grandfather had been heartless to his blood kin, his bloodline would be shortened?
Grandfather and Father had been unfortunate to live only half a life. Then, what about him? After just mastering how to walk, he was relegated to a wheelchair. His life had not started yet it had already ended. What did the heavens give him life for?
Why didn't they let him live and forced him to die, why did they make him endure such torment?
The boy's hands clenched on the servant boy's shoulders, but there was barely any force from his entire body.
He lowered his gaze and did not look at Miss Jun again.
"Yes, I was just talking about myself. I am very fortunate; I will be able to leave in a year and will not have to suffer such hardship." He smiled, disaffected. "Miss Jun is also very fortunate that she will not be encumbered by the Fang Family later."
Liu'er sneered.
"Young Miss, let's go. Do not mind him," she said.
Miss Jun still stood there, unmoving. She looked at Young Master Fang on the servant's back, seeming to think over something.
"Young Miss, what are you thinking about?" asked Liu'er, uncomprehending but also a bit worried. "Don't mind the words of a cripple."
"I am thinking about whether or not I want to ride the Fang Family's boat," she said.
The Fang Family's boat?
The Fang Family was an exchange firm, not a nautical business. What boat?
Liu'er did not understand. Did Young Miss get addled by the cripple's words?
Miss Jun looked at Young Master Fang being carried down the top of the fake mountain and stepped over there.
The two servant boys carefully placed Young Master Fang onto the wheelchair. Because of his paralysis he was moved about like a broken rag doll.
The two servant boys looked at Miss Jun with dissatisfaction. What was baffling, though, was that Young Master Fang was still as calm as before.
"Pardon me for dirtying Miss Jun's eyes," he said. "To live in the same house as me must be very unfortunate for Miss Jun."
Miss Jun's gaze swept over him inch by inch.
"It really is lamentable for me to live with you. If I can cure your sickness, and if you don't die in two years from now, will it be fortunate or unfortunate?"